Free Radical Injection Ignition System for Engine Emission Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines produce undesirable emissions such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and non-methane hydrocarbons due to incomplete or slow combustion, necessitating the development of more efficient engines with reduced emissions.
Innovation Solution
A free radical injection system that creates and injects free radicals into the combustion chamber to ignite the fuel-air mixture, utilizing a pre-combustion chamber to generate free radicals which are then forced into the main combustion chamber via a shockwave, with a quench system to extinguish the flame and prevent premature ignition, ensuring timely and complete combustion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional combustion is used, then the engine operates with standard combustion speed, but combustion is incomplete and slow leading to high emissions
Solution Approach 1:
Free radicals are generated in advance in a pre-combustion chamber and then injected into the main combustion chamber to initiate rapid combustion. This preliminary preparation of reactive species accelerates the combustion process and reduces emissions of incomplete combustion products.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the combustion process by introducing free radicals (highly reactive chemical species) into the combustion chamber. This fundamentally alters the combustion kinetics, enabling faster and more complete combustion with reduced emissions.
2Speed
If a pre-combustion chamber is used to generate free radicals, then ignition speed improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion system is divided into two separate chambers: a pre-combustion chamber for generating free radicals and a main combustion chamber for the primary combustion process. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each chamber's function while achieving rapid ignition in the main chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
Free radicals act as an intermediary substance that is generated in the pre-combustion chamber and transferred to the main combustion chamber to initiate and accelerate combustion. This intermediary mechanism enables rapid ignition without requiring direct ignition sources in the main chamber.
3Reliability
If free radicals are injected to accelerate combustion, then combustion completeness improves, but the system requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-combustion chamber serves multiple functions: it acts as a free radical generator, a control valve for regulating radical injection, and a means to manage combustion timing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a portion of the main fuel supply to create the free radicals in the pre-combustion chamber, rather than requiring an external or separate source of radicals. The combustion process itself generates the radicals needed to accelerate its own progression.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in rapid, uniform, and complete combustion, significantly reducing undesirable emissions like nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, while providing a more efficient ignition process compared to conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
A spark plug has electrodes that extend into the secondary chamber for introducing a spark into the secondary chamber
Implementation Method 2
The ignition of the fuel air mixture creates free radicals, while simultaneously producing a shock wave that forces the free radicals out of the pre-combustion chamber
Implementation Method 3
Before entering the main combustion chamber, the flame is extinguished with a quench system
Implementation Method 4
fuel and air are mixed and ignited in a chemical reaction that turns chemical energy into useful mechanical energy
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A system (10), including, a free-radical ignition system (12), that includes a pre - combustion chamber (26) configured to combust a first fuel-air mixture to generate a flame, a Shockwave, and free radicals, an injection passage (28) configured to inject the free radicals driven by the shock wave from the pre - combustion chamber (26) toward a combustion chamber (34), and a quench system (24) configured to extinguish the flame in the pre - combustion chamber (26) or the injection passage (28).